Trust Me
by freestyle-bentos
Summary: When Kagome is crying under the Goshinboku by chance she meets someone who will help her learn to change her life by a drastic measure. It is time to start a fresh chapter in her life, and find happiness. However will her fresh start be the catalyst of a new war? And if there is war the current Inu no Taisho will surely be getting involved.
1. fateful meeting

The full moon shone bright in the sky over the forest near Kaede's village, over the Goshinboku, over the young woman that rested against its old but ever strong roots. A night of undisturbed peace was rare in these times of hardship, as the people of this era unknowingly rested idly at the beginning of a great war. The cool night air of summer's end wisped through the trees and the gentle fireflies danced along blades of grass as the young priestess of the Shikon no Tama's spilled tears onto the roots of Goshinboku. She was one being that knew not of a peaceful night since her decision to remain in Sengoku Jida. The raven haired woman, wiped at her eyes frantically wanting nothing more than to regain control of herself. Her tears were not worth him. They had never been worth him. She knew that now, and yet she could not halt her crying. It had been five years since the beginning of her nightmare.

She was young and in love. Wasn't that the down fall of most women? Kagome had been more than positive that her life would be complete in Sengoku Jida with Inuyasha. She didn't belong in the modern era anymore. Nothing was the same when she returned. Her way of thinking, her morals, her values…they had all changed in her adventures in search of the Shikon shards with her companions and their fight against the evil hanyou Naraku. So she returned to the past to live out the rest of her life in peace with her new family and her love. For the first year they had been living a casual routine life. Kagome trained with Kaede so she may become a proper priestess and take over as the villiage's miko. She also trained with Sango before she became pregnant with her twins in the art of hand to hand fighting. Daily chores and chit chatting with the other women around the village and taking care of the children, Sango and Kagome rarely saw combat anymore. Along with helping out around the village Miroku, Inuyasha, Shippo, and Kohaku, whenever he came around, would take requests to exterminate demons from neighboring villages and bring in more income for the village. Eventually she and Inuysha had gotten married and before long Kagome became pregnant with their first child. Oh everyone had been so excited for the happy couple and Inuyasha had never been so proud in his life. He stayed closer to home along with Miroku as the twins had just been born. Becoming pregnant had been an almost wonderful occasion. She would only regret that her child had never had a chance to be born.

Kagome finally lifted her head, her eyes too dry to cry anymore. She let out a shaky sigh as she steadied herself using the Goshinboku. The sleeves of her sleeping yukata were torn, exposing the fresh bruises that laced her pale skin. She barely had strength in her legs and the bottoms of her feet were lined with cuts from the brutal forest floor. Another sigh escaped her lips as she soon sat back down against the tree. She had worn herself out running from him. It took the use of just about all her miko powers to fight him off without killing him; yeah the trick was always to not kill him. Never had she thought Inuyasha would grow to hate her so much. Truthfully the woman hated herself too. She would normally let him do as he pleased to her, she deserved it after all. But when it got to intense, when she looked into his eyes and saw not an ounce of love but instead the intent to kill, her instincts took over and she fought back. She didn't want to die by his hand. Deep in her heart, she wished he could forgive her. She hoped that if she stayed alive long enough he might see the truth that she had not meant to kill their child. He may never love her again but she would see through to the fact that he would one day understand.

Kagome closed her cloudy gray eyes slowly. There weren't too many youkai that dared pass through these forests as a threat, and she figured Inuyasha would eventually pass by and drag her back to the village before dawn. Their feuding only went on during the night, during the day he at least tolerated her so none would suspect anything abuse to be happening. As sleep began to consume her, the exhausted miko felt a gentle touch against her cheek. Her eyes shot open and she began to flare her miko no chi against the assumed threat.

"A-ah!..."

The gentle voice exclaimed softly and drew his hand to his chest. As her vision focused, Kagome gasped. A child, probably no more than ten or eleven, scooted away from her ready to run. His hair was the color of a red flame, long in the front brushing just by his collar bone and gradually shortened towards the back reaching a few inches about the nape of his neck. His arms adorned two solid black bands around his biceps, and were the same around his ankles. His skin tanned and masked with dirt, she could assume he was without a home or lost being in such a state. He wore a pair of black hakama bottoms cut off at the knees and sandals. But what startled Kagome the most were his eyes, they were black. Just black, he had no sclera, cornea, or iris… to set apart the parts of his eyes.

"Wait, wait. I'm sorry you just startled me." She spoke softly, a light chuckle escaping as she straightened up. Even with all her years with Inuyasha she still managed to be the same warm hearted Kagome. She patted the spot next to her. "You can still stay here if you want."

The boy looked at her for a second, and then stood. He didn't leave, but it looked as if he wanted to be ready to bolt if need be. Kagome couldn't sense any ill intent from him so she stayed in her comfortable position. "You know it's not nice to sneak up on strangers. I could have really hurt you." She sighed. No answer. "Um, well what are you doing out here. These forests are relatively safe but you shouldn't wander on your own at this time of night." Yet still she got no response. The boy merely stood still as a statue, staring off into the distance of the forest. Kagome's pressed her lips together, forming a line as she thought.

"Well, how about your name. Mine is Kagome."

Again no response, but the boy did turn his head towards her. His face was hard to read as most people could be calculated by the gaze in their eyes. But his were just endless pools of black. The child stepped down off the root he was standing on and kneeled down. He drew his finger across the dirt forming characters similar to Japanese but was slightly different. Kagome's brows rose in interest as she could only read one of the symbols, but recognized the language. "Chen," She spoke and the boy raised his head to look at her. "Chen." She spoke again and a smiled tugged at the lad's mouth. Well it looked like that semester of Chinese back in high school paid for something. But, what was he doing in Japan? It didn't seem like he knew how to speak the language but understood.

"Well it's nice to meet you Chen. What are you doing so far away from home? Are you lost?"

All she received was a blank stare and slowly the boy cocked his head to the side. Perhaps he didn't know the language as well as she thought. "Do you have an Okaasan?" She scooted out of her spot and moved closer to the boy. Slowly she reached out and caressed his cheek. She hoped through the motherly action she would bring understanding. "Okaasan." She repeated, with a warm smile. She felt a bit of pain as she remembered what would have been. Tears formed in her eyes as she drew Chen to her chest, hugging him softly and combing her fingers through his hair. Perhaps she had broken in some ways. She had always been emotional, but never like this. It was something Chen could sense. He could feel that this woman had a great deal of pain in her heart, strangling the purity of her light. That light had called out to him as he had been wandering through the forest. He was a long way from home, but her light even if it was small and dying brought him warmth. The same warmth he had felt with his mother. And that's when he understood what she was saying.

"Okaasan." He spoke softly, his accent heavy coating his words but it was understandable. He closed his eyes and allowed the woman to cry as she cradled him. He decided she would do fine. He could not return to where he came from, so he would stay with her. He could sense no danger, even if she was a miko. The scents of youkai were strong on her, but not death. She lived amongst them, he could conclude that much.

It wasn't until Kagome fell into slumber that Chen pulled back from her hold. She was completely spent and it was a surprise she didn't pass out sooner. The boy took this time to examine her more closely. She reeked off sadness and pain. He could scent the foul play from being brutally mounted by what was probably her husband. But it was off because he scented a mix of human and youkai. A hanyou perhaps? Well that was interesting in the most infuriating of ways. He traced the bruises along her arms and scowled. Regardless of half or full youkai blood, they all should have the same instinct to protect their loved ones not harm. The boy stood up and lifted the woman, carrying her back to the base of the tree. Regardless of looking young, he was a youkai and so he had the strength of a fully grown human male. He sat down by her, leaning against her as he closed his eyes to rest for the night.

As morning came, Kagome's eyes fluttered open at the sound of foot steps. As her vision came into focus she was pleasantly surprised to see that it was not Inuyasha, but Chen. A soft smile graced her weary features as she watched him gut some fish with his claws. He wasn't very skilled but she could see he was trying hard. He even gathered some dry sticks to cook them. "Chen,"

The red head looked up from his job and looked at the woman. "Okaasan." He greeted, with a small smile then looked back to the fish. Kagome tilted her head in confusion unsure if he was referring to her. She suddenly remembered crying in front of him and she gasped softly. "Oh, no Chen…I'm not..." She began tearing up yet again. Damn her she needed to learn to keep it together. As she berated herself for being so emotional and weak, Chen came up to her and wiped her cheeks with his thumb. She felt like she was getting lost in those endless black eyes but she felt comforted as well. They were a bit scary, being so endless but they did hold emotions. They just need to be found. The woman sniffed a little but smiled once more, and slipped her arms around the boy's neck. The tan boy was so warm, he was like a heater.

The hug ended when Chen pulled away. He pointed to the fish, and Kagome nodded. "Right, I'll cook it right up. Thank you for catching them."

It seemed like Chen knew a bit about humans, as was prepared for her to cook rather than eat it raw. "Hm, I'll need to start a fire though."

As soon a she spoke, Chen stood up and walked over to the pit. Fire was one word he recognized very well. The boy smirked and inhaled a short breath before spitting into the pit. It was not saliva he spat however, but a flame that easily consumed the bundle of sticks. Kagaome stared at him, then the fire, then back to the cockily grinned Chen. "Oh so you're an elemental youkai?" She questions. As expected he didn't understand what she said, so she just assumed she was correct. After all what else could spit fire like that. "Well that's useful. Alright let's get cooking."

It had been so long since Kagome had enjoyed herself so freely. As she cooked she chatted happily to Chen. The boy didn't really understand much but nodded politely and let her enjoy herself. She had been turned into lifeless shell of the girl she used to be with Inuyasha. In the mornings with him she walked on eggshells to not upset him as she prepared breakfast. There was no talking, no smiling, and just barely a civil morning greeting between the two. Chen was a nice change, and he was helpful too. When the fish had finished cooking, she gave Chen two and she took two. They ate in a comfortable silence enjoying the cool morning air as the world began to wake. She wished this light hearted feeling would last forever. It was only as they were finishing up the last of breakfast, the one and only Inuyasha dropped down into the clearing. Chen tensed up, the hanyou was strong very strong, but what bothered him was how quickly Kagome had sunk into despair at the sight of him. The two had been so lost in their world they hadn't even sensed him coming. Kagome dropped her gaze to the floor. "Morning Inuyasha."

The hanyou narrowed his eyes at the woman. "Where you trying to kill me last night wench!" He growled. His skin was still burning from that barrier the miko had thrown up at the last second. It had only been the last few times they got into it and she used her miko no chi and he felt such ruthlessness in it. Years ago had see used it on him, it would have been a light burning or a tingle because it recognized him as an ally. "tch, I should just leave your worthless ass out here. At least then you can be useful as someone's breakfast…Come wench its time to go before Sango chews me out for not knowing where you are."

As Inuyasha stepped forward to grab Kagome's arm, Chen stood in his path. Kagome looked up in shock and panic. "Chen, don't." She called out, but the words faded on her tongue. He didn't understand Japanese, what was she supposed to tell him, what could she tell him? Inuyasha raised his brow at the boy, "Still like picking up stray's don't you wench?"

Chen scrunched his nose up as the hanyou spoke. He was a disgusting man. He reeked of alcohol, women other than Kagome, and blood. But it was the scent of Kagome on him that angered him most. And then like he had done when making the fire, Chen spat out several flames by Inuyasha's feet as a warning to stay away from Kagome. Inuyasha growled in pain. Even as small as the flames were the heat was intense and nothing like he'd felt before. He jumped back quickly and then lunged forward for the boy, grabbing him up by his neck. "Stay out of this kid." He warned, uncaringly throwing the boy across the clearing and into a tree. He threw him with such force that the tree snapped on top of the young youkai.

"Chen!" Kagome called, standing up quickly to run to the boy's side. Inuysaha cut her off however. He grabbed her arm with unneeded force, twisting it as he dragged her away from the Goshinboku. "We're leaving wench, we don't have time for that brat." Inuyasha spat bitterly. Why should he let Kagome tend to a child when she couldn't even manage to give him one? As the thoughts rolled in his mind about that terrible day, Inuyasha's eyes gleamed red. Stopping suddenly, he threw Kagome to the ground and stomped down on the arm he had been twisting. The woman could only scream and beg him to ease the pressure on her surely broken arm. She clawed at his foot trying to force him off it. When he did it was only to kick her ruthlessly. His foot slammed into her ribs and stomach each time. He looked down at her emotionlessly. He didn't even seem like he was just enjoying it, and truthfully he wasn't. He hated hurting her. He hated her. He wished she didn't exist so that he wouldn't have to feel so conflicted all the time. He wished he didn't have to deal with disappointment time and time again in his miserable life. And Kagome just took it each time, which only made her more worthless. She wasn't the Kagome he fell in love with so why should he have to care for her, look after her, put faith in her.

Kagome was lost. She felt the pain but didn't feel it at the same time. Tears welled in her eyes and all she could think about was Chen. His body crushed under the trunk of that tree. Her heart was tearing and that hurt more than anything else.

"Okaasan!"

Kagome's eyes widened as the familiar accented voice echoed in her ears. She managed to find the strength to turn to look in the direction it came from. There he stood, his shoulder was bleeding but he stood ready to fight the hanyou. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at the boy. His blood boiling, "What did you just say brat…" That word, how dare that boy utter that word in front of him. With a speed the boy could not register Inuyasha once again had in the air by his neck. He extended his claws, ready to impale the boy through the chest. "Kagome, has no children." He uttered darkly as he squeezed the boy's neck. Chen smirked; he had been expecting this and had a plan. Taking as deep a breath as he could Chen set Inuyasha's arm on fire as he exhaled.

Inuyasha screamed and dropped the boy as his arm was consumed in flames. Even with the protection of the fire rat hakama, the flames burned through to his skin. He dropped to the ground trying to put it out with the dirt but the flames still burned. Kagome watched in both amazement and horror as her husband howled in pain and ran off to go jump in the nearest river or lake. Chen grunted, shrugged off his victory as if it were nothing and hurried over to Kagome.

"Okaasan." He said softly, touching her cheek gently. She opened her mouth to speak but only coughed up blood as the pain surged through her body. Confused and unsure what to do, Chen gathered the women into his arms. With a soft sigh, the boy closed his eyes and focused his energy before taking to the sky with one powerful jump.


	2. dragon

When Kagome opened her eyes she was looking at the ceiling of her home. She could tell it was hers because of the familiar scratches on the ceiling from when Inuyasha was building it and he decided to test the sturdiness of the wood. But how did she get there. She tried to move but was immobilized by the sharp pain in her ribs. As she turned her head to look around the house, she spotted Chen staring back at her. "Chen." She called his name softly. The boy crawled over to her and sat by her side. He touched her cheek gently, and she smiled at the fond touch. Perhaps that was him expressing his affection. Still, she needed some answers. If she was home that meant Chen brought her here. And it wasn't that she doubted his strength to carry her, she barely knew anything about him, but how did he know to bring her here? How did he fair with the villagers? Did he hurt anyone? Did they hurt him?

She was drawn out of her thoughts as Chen drew his hand away and stood up. "Chen?" She called as the boy was leaving the house. "Where are you going?" The boy looked as if he processing the question before a small smile graced his features.

"S-Sango…bring…" He spoke, lacking the words to give her every detail. But she understood.

"Yes, please bring Sango, Chen." Kagome nodded. Sango would surely be able to fill her in on everything with Chen and his arrival.

Chen nodded, "Yes…please bring Sango." He mimicked, retaining each of the words to memory so he may perhaps learn to speak this language. The red head left the hut quickly. He dodged around the villagers and traveled by the roof top till he reached Sango's house. Kagome waited not so patiently on the ground. She hated being so restricted. With the use of her good arm she managed to sit up and scoot back against the wall for support. The little project managed to pass the time between Chen leaving and Sango barreling into the hut. Both frustration and worry filled the woman's eyes as she wrapped her arms around the woman who had become a sister to her. She had been so confused when the youkai boy had dropped down in the village with the battered Kagome in his arms. She couldn't even get a small answer out of him like his name. Chen had been less than cooperative with them. The only reason he had handed Kagome over to the humans was because of the old woman.

"Oh Kagome, I've been worried sick. Its been a whole week since you'd fallen ill." Sango cried, pulling back from Kagome so she could see her face. Kagome looked shocked. She'd been out for a week. She groaned softly and shook her head. So what had become of Inuyasha in that time?

"I'm sorry Sango. I didn't mean to worry you…"

"Kagome please tell me what's going on. Where is Inuyasha? Who is this boy? He brought you here but he has told us nothing of himself or anything that's going on. The villagers are on edge because they don't know if he's a threat, and Inuyasha has disappeared. Miroku is traveling to do an exorcism in a neighboring village… and everyone saw you when you were being carried here…" Sango trailed off.

Kagome sighed and motioned for Chen to come closer to her. The boy obeyed and sat down next to her, and Kagome placed her hand on his head. "Well, I guess we should start with introductions. Sango this is Chen. He is from the mainland…China I'm sure. He doesn't speak Japanese so that's why he wasn't able to answer your questions." Sango looked over the boy and then it was her turn to sigh. Kagome's intuition was pretty good but the boy's appearance was very….unsettling

"Have you known him long? Do you know his background? Is he a threat?" The taijiya couldn't help but be cautious. Kagome's home was in the center of their village. The village was their home, and the home of her children she didn't want to bring danger upon them. But Kagome waved off the nervous woman's worry.

"If he was dangerous then he would be dead. I met him last night. He is kind Sango. He saved me... but I don't know much about him. Just trust me for now." Kagome couldn't be angry at the taijiya's skepticism. But the woman eventually sighed and shook her head in defeat. If this Chen really was a lost child, there would be no way to persuade Kagome to abandon him. So Sango went about with the next question.

"So what exactly did he save you from?" Sango looked to sling the young woman's arm rested in. "You really should be lying down. Your arm is broken, and a few of your ribs have been cracked. Doesn't it hurt sitting up?"

Kagome nodded, "It does but…I feel uncomfortable lying down." The miko was anxious. She didn't want to be caught of guard if a certain raging hanyou decided to bust into the hut. She would never be able to sleep comfortably till she knew his where he was. He would surely be ready to kill Chen and her when he caught up to them. She wasn't sure what to tell Sango. Certainly not the truth. "I was attacked by a rouge…boar youkai in the forest. It seemed a bit off but I had tracked it in order to rid it from the borders of the villages. Um, it was stronger than expected but Inuyasha fought it off when he found me. Has he come back yet? I had met Chen just before finding the bore so, he was there for the fight and perhaps Inuyasha instructed him to bring me here?"

That was some kind of stretch of a lie. And Sango easily caught on. "You got caught off guard by a boar?" the woman repeated slowly, her gaze piercing straight into Kagome's eyes making the slightly younger woman stiffen. Chen gazed between the two women not at all able to follow the story, so he didn't correct her fib. Sango felt a bit insulted. After all the battles they had been in together did the young miko really expect her to believe that out of all creatures she was thrown off by a common run of the mill boar youkai? And Miroku and Inuyasha had detailed the forest before Miroku's departure so why would there be anything sinister lurking in the forest when Inuyasha marked the whole damn thing as a warning. "You must be joking Kagome. And even so Inuyasha would have made quick work of it and brought you back himself. Not send you back beaten and battered in the arms of a child." Her voice rose with anger with every word she spoke. Ever since the baby incident Kagome and Inuyasha had distanced themselves from the rest of the village, and even more so from Miroku and herself. It gave her great pain to know the two did not trust them enough to let them into their hearts. Kagome had never been upfront with Sango in a very long time, but now…now she was blatantly lying.

"Kagome, please tell me. Or at least let me know that you will tell me when you are ready. Do you expect me to believe that story? Really do you? I won't ask Inuyasha when he comes back. I want to here it from you Kagome." The woman smiled sadly but did not attempt to pry further into the miko's personal affairs. Besides she should just be relieved that Kagome was alive. "Alright, you are going to have to lie down. I should change your bandages."

Kagome only nodded and let Sango help her back down onto the futon. As Sango fixed her wounds she decided to ask some questions. "So Sango, how did he village fair when they saw Chen?"

Sango hummed softly as she thought of the best words to explain what the situation had been like. Her gaze lay upon the boy with pitch black eyes as he stared into the fire lighting the house. "Well, they were not pleased to see their miko touch down in the arms of an unknown youkai, looking worse than a dropped peach."

Kagome chuckled softly at her friend's choice of words, "A dropped peach Sango? Well anyway that's understandable. There was no physical confrontation though?"

Sango nodded, "No it was resolved peacefully though it was a rough rode. Though he brought you here it didn't seem like he knew who to go to so it was a struggle to get him to hand you over. He was very protective, but didn't try to physically fight us instead he just dodged around us when we tried to get hold of him. He really has some speed and strength for such a little guy. You did get some cuts on your legs though because of him. He was half dragging you because of his height. Anyway though, it was Kaede that calmed him down. She had been working with a new type of herb that seems to bother him a great deal. Even as humans the herb has a rather potent scent so for him it must have been like hell. From there we had to keep using the herb to get him to sit still the first day or so. Since then he has learned my name and Kaede, and I had shown him how to find me so he could get me when you woke. But that's all. Since then he hasn't left your side."

Kagome nodded at the information, and then looked at the boy. "Chen," She called. The boy turned his gaze to her. "This is Sango." The boy nodded, he already knew that. "She is my sister…sister." She explained slowly. She wouldn't want Chen to turn on Sango by accident, or anyone at that matter. And if he was planning to stick around, which she figured he was, he would need to start learning the language. Chen bit his lip the nodded once more. "Family, ok? F-a-m-i-l-y"

Chen nodded, looking at Sango now. "F-am-il-y" He repeated. "Sango, Okaasan, sister, family…" He repeated. This was certainly an interesting little village, with the types of people that resided in it. Chen sighed and scooted closer to the wall, closing his eyes as he would finally be able to rest easy knowing Kagome would be ok. Kagome smiled at him fondly, and then looked back at Sango, who looked wide eyed back at her. She hadn't thought Kagome would ever think to try and have another child. Adopted or not. A whole knew set of worries settled into the pit of her stomach.

"Kagome…what does he mean by Okaasan?" She asked cautiously.

Kagome shrugged her shoulders a little, "He just means Okaasan. I tried to ask him about his mother, if he was lost and was she was looking for him. And the only word he seemed to grasp the understanding of was Okaasan. He's called me that ever since. I don't particularly mind."

"Oh, but you won't get to attached? I mean what if he finds his family or way home? Perhaps you should try and teach him your name instead." It wasn't like she wanted to crush the woman's bond with the child but it was for the best she put a distance. She didn't want Kagome to be disappointed if the time came for them to part ways. And she still wasn't convinced that Chen was as harmless as Kagome assured. The miko frowned sadly, a slow realization dawning on her. Sango was right. What right did she have to twist this boy's ignorance? She allowed her self to be swayed so easily these days. She was terrible wasn't she, just picking up random kids and selfishly making them hers…just to close the hole in her heart.

"Oh Sango…you're right. I just got caught up…it felt so nice…I met Chen when I was in a not so good place so I guess…"

Sango waved her hand and smiled sympathetically at the miko, "Its ok Kagome you don't have to explain. I know it has been hard since that day for you. But you can't give up. I know that maybe if you and Inuyasha try again it could work out…but don't bury your feelings in something that may not last…of course if it comes down to when Chen and you can sit down and really talk things out, if he does not have a family, then adopt him like you did Shippo."

Kagome smiled then and nodded. Why did she push herself away from such a good friend? It had been ages since she felt so reassured, even if it was on such a simple subject. Kagome reached out with her good hand and put it over Sango's. "Thank you Sango. God, I've missed talking with you and spending time with you. I guess I really just let myself slip away."

Sango grinned, and the two women stayed up chatting late into the night until the need sleep began to sink into their systems. Inuyasha still hadn't shown up, and for once Kagome slept peacefully with Chen curled up near her side.

In two weeks time, Kagome's miko no chi was finishing up the healing process on her ribs and broken arm. She still had to wear the sling but she was able to stand and walk around and soon enough was up to her usual routine, but these days with more of a pep in her step. Inuyasha still had yet to reappear in the village and while most found her lack of worry over her beloved hanyou odd they didn't question her. It had been years since they'd seen this side of the miko. Miroku had returned to the village in that time as well. He at first was very skeptical of the information Sango told him on Kagome's recent adventure and the new comer she brought home. But like the others in the village he could not argue with her, not when she seemed so much happier. The monk instead decided to satisfy his anxious curiosity by going through the boy.

That proved harder than he had first imagined. But their daily routine over the past weeks had become a sound one.

"Good morning Kagome, you're looking well rested today!" The monk greeted cheerfully as he entered the miko's warm home. The aura of the house was certainly brighter with Inuyasha away. It troubled him but he let it pass. The monk looked over to Chen, who was sweeping up around the hut. Miroku smiled and greeted him as well. "Good morning Chen, how are you this morning?"

The boy thought for a moment, "Good morning Miroku." He spoke slowly, with a slightly strange mix of accents of his native tongue and Japanese. "Hungry! I am hungry!" The boy grinned.

Miroku nodded and chuckled softly; he glanced at Kagome and waved his finger. "Well Kagome it seems like I've arrived right on time. We'll be going to the market and bring back a few things. You should go by my house and have breakfast with Sango and I and the children of course. They've gotten attached to Chen and have been asking for him."

Kagome nodded, "That sounds great. I'll head over then. Be sure to pick up some pork for dinner for your family. I heard they brought quiet a haul from the neighboring village it'd be a shame to miss out on such a treat for supper." Kagome then opened her purse and gave Chen so he could pick some things up for dinner as well. "Chen, pick up some pork ok? And some rice…and I have some fabric that needs to be picked up. Bring it to the house before going to Miroku's ok?"

"Ok Kagome." Chen slipped the money into his pocket. He had learned to call the miko by her name instead of Okaasan. He was still bothered by it, but didn't argue. It hadn't been worth the tears she shed over begging him to just call her Kagome. Saying that he didn't understand what he was saying, or that his feelings were misplaced. He still did not know all the words to say how he felt, or explain what he needed but he understood well enough.

It was like this they had spent the last two weeks. Miroku taught him language and how to get along in the village and take on a few chores that a man should do. Kagome continued her training with Kaede and devoted more of her time to reconnecting with Sango and her family. She had forgotten what it was like to live so peacefully. The burdens were lifted off her heart for a while and she could smile with ease. There was no one there to degrade her, hate her, or hurt her. She had almost forgotten that Inuyasha existed. And that would be her mistake. As the boys left to do their errands, Kagome finished straighten up around the house before stepping out. She decided to pay Kaede a proper visit before heading over to Sango's. It had been to long since she paid the woman a casual visit. She walked down the familiar route to the old hut by the shrine steps, smiling as the good memories came to mind.

"Hello, Kaede?" She called, as she entered the hut. The old miko looked up from her breakfast and a soft smile tugged at her lips at the sight of her student.

"Ah, Kagome, what brings you here this morning?" Her old heart rested well seeing the refreshed attitude of the young miko. She may not have known the full details but her old eye could see the troublesome hanyou was sucking the purity and life out of the young girl. She too, like everyone that was close to Inuyasha, did worry about the details of what exactly caused him to disappear but it was not her place to tread in the waters of this ordeal. The youngsters would have to pull it together on there own, she was much to old to meddle.

Kagome smiled and sat down by the fire near Kaede. "I don't really have a reason. I just felt like I needed to see you just to see you." She explained.

Kaede nodded her head in understanding. "I see. You have not been so light hearted in quiet some time. Your eyes show the depth of your despair even when your chose to smile."

"I know, since that time…Inuyasha hasn't helped much." She spoke honestly.

Kaede sighed, "I know child, I know. It was a painful experience for both of you. But understand child that your current happiness is temporary. You must learn to be happy in a world where Inuyasha exists. He is hard headed, but he will one day understand and learn to accept what happened that day. The loss of a child takes a great toll on the heart, but one must over come."

Kagome lowered her head as she thought back to that day. Kaede was right. Inuyasha would eventually show up. But she couldn't go backwards. She had to keep striving to be happy again. It wasn't her time to die, and she didn't deserve to be treated like the way he treated her. No one else treated her so badly. She would no longer excuse him as if everything he did fell under a justifiable reason. It was just as much his fault as it was hers that the child had died. It was easy to say in her head, but until she could voice it aloud. Until she could confront him head on, nothing would change.

And she would get her chance sooner than she would think. As the two women continued to chat over this and that and loud explosion disrupted that pleasant morning in the village. Kagome and Kaede dashed out of the hut quickly, to see the mass of villagers running in the opposite direction.

"Kagome! Kaede!" Sango, already dressed for action in her taijiya clothing, touched down on the back of Kirara by them. She hopped off he giant fire cat and removed her mask so she could speak clearly. "At the edge of the village, Inuyasha and Chen are having an all out brawl."

"Was that the explosion?" Kagome asked fear and worry engulfing her as she thought about what Inuyasha would do to Chen.

The slayer nodded, "Yes, but they had been dueling a few minutes before that. I had come to get you, and before I knew it the whole east side of the village is up in flames. Come we must hurry!" Sango grabbed Kagome's good arm and helped her onto Kirara.

"Kaede, get to safety ok? We'll handle this." Sango called, as Kagome was at a loss for words at the moment.

"Ay, child, be safe ye hear!" Kaede called back as Kirara took to the sky.

At the edge of the east side of the village Miroku and Chen had been visiting the butcher as Kagome advised they should. The red head boy had noticed an odd scent in the air. It was familiar but he couldn't place this finger on what it was.

"Chen, perhaps we should surprise Kagome and Sango with some beef too. Its cheap so we might as well spoil them." Miroku suggested. Chen looked at the meat and licked his lips, knowing without a doubt that whatever they made it into would be delicious.

"Yes, ok." Chen agreed.

"Oh well that sounds mighty pleasant, don't mind if I join you all." A gruff voice spoke from behind the two. Chen narrowed his eyes and his skin began to boil as he now knew what that odd scent had been. It was the smell of burning skin. Miroku turned and was shocked at the state of his friend. "Inuyasha, where have you been? What happened to you, or more specifically your arm?"

Inuyasha stood before them with a murderous intent in his eyes. The skin of his right arm was completely burnt off. The cloth of the fire rat robe had healed into some part and other parts were just bare muscle. "Why don't you ask that little brat next you what happened Miroku."

Inuyasha growled, and pulled tetsaiga from its sheath, aiming it at the Chen. The boy stood fearless at the threat of the great dog fang. "That was some trick you pulled there kid. I had a hell of time putting out the fire on my arm. Three days to be exact…and you know what? It hasn't stopped burning yet. Don't look so damn smug about it because I'm about fucking dish it back a hundred fold."

"Inuyasha wait! This boy saved Kagome. I'm not sure what altercation you two had but he is her guest and you can't fight so close to the village with tetsaiga!" Miroku yelled, immediately moving from Chen's side to stand by his friend.

"Can it Miroku, you have no idea what this kid is capable of. Saving Kagome? Ha! Don't make me laugh, he is manipulating her! I ended up fighting this kid to try and break his spell. Its his eyes. Kagome had gone out for a walk that night to clear her head of a nightmare. I guess she ran into this kid and I don't know the detail of that. But when I found her, he was sucking the chi out of her!" Inuyasha lied. "You know Kagome can't help but protect the seemingly innocent, its probably why she fell so easily. I just hope she's been ok all the time."

He was very convincing and his story made more sense than the one that Kagome told. Miroku narrowed his eyes at the boy believing Inuyasha. It explained so much. Even if Kagome and Inuyasha were going through a hard time, she wouldn't just act like he never existed after he suddenly disappeared. He had just started to accept Chen too. But perhaps that was him falling into the same trap Kagome had fallen into to. "Of course, its makes sense. A creature with eyes like his own… I've seen all types of being in our travels. I had wanted to give him a fair chance despite such an obvious feature."

"Don't be hard on yourself Miroku. Let me handle this, we have to get him out of the village as soon as possible. He's get some deadly fire ability. I don't want him to use it on you, as a human the pain alone would kill you even if the wound was not severe." Inuyasha spoke, giving his friend a sincere yet cocky Inuyasha smile. Miroku smirked, he would always believe in his best friend, unfortunately.

"I'll stay out of your way but I'll back you up with a few sutras. We know he has a weakness for a certain type of herbs, so I infused its essences into a few of this sutras…"

And with that the fight had begun. Chen was at a disadvantage for many reasons. In general he was only a child, while Inuysha was a fully grown well seasoned warrior. He could not find it in him to turn on Miroku like Miroku had turned on him. He warded him off the best he could without injuring him but it only left him open to Inuysaha's attacks. Miroku also wielded the herb soaked sutra's that set his senses a blaze to the point where his vision was beginning to blur. He was running out of options when Inuyasha slammed his fist into his stomach, sending Chen flying into a storage house. Miroku felt a bit concerned as he watched Inuyasha lunge after the boy. Watching Inuyasha fight this time around he noticed how brutal Inuyasha was being. He was not merely trying to make him submit and release Kagome but instead he was just brutally beating the boy senseless. He wasn't even attempting to put the kid out of his misery with tetsaiga, no he was actually prolonging his suffering. Miroku followed Inuyasha into the storage house where he was met with a disturbing scene. Inuyasha had the boy pinned to the ground, his hands wrapped tight around the boy's neck, sinking his claws into him as he strangled Chen.

"This is what you get you fucking brat…I told you, I would fucking murder you. This is what you get for hurting Kagome." Inuyasha actually had himself convinced that his own story was true. He chuckled darkly as the boy tried to gasp for air, and clawed at his hands to try and loosen his hold.

"Inuyasha stop it! That's enough, you're just torturing him!" Miroku yelled, but was unable to move from his spot. He had never seen such a dark aura around his friend. Never once had he feared Inuyasha until now.

When Chen could not pry Inuyasha off he neck, he glanced around frantically for something, anything that would get him out of this. That was when he noticed the barrels of oil stacked along the walls of the storage house. He could not inhale to breath a flame so instead he snapped his fingers a few times to create friction, and once the flame at sparked he tossed it into the barrels which created the explosion.

As the flames engulfed the storage house Inuyasha snapped back to his senses. He looked back to Miroku then to Chen, and with reluctance he chose to save the monk before the storage house gave in. The flames did not bother Chen as he lay trying to catch his breath. If anything the area covered in flames and smoke reminded him of his home. Inuyasha had cut deep into his neck and his wounds were bleeding out much faster than he body was able to heal them. His body felt to heavy to move as the blood began to filter into his throat and blood his air ways. But he had to fight. He'd been through to much that was far worse than this to not fight.

As Sango and Kagome touched down in front of the burning house, Kagome felt her heart smash to pieces. She stumbled off of Kirara and ran towards the burning building. "Chen! Chen!" Luckily Sango stopped her. Kagome had seen Inuyasha and Miroku as they just barely made it out of the now crumbling building. But Chen was no where to be seen.

Inuyasha glared at the woman. It was a look he hadn't thought anyone would see as he stood behind to two women. But Miroku who quietly stood at his side, noticed as it came and went quickly. He had never seen these sides of Inuyasha. Yes he was normally aggressive, normally, scowling, normally, foul mouthed. But he had never seen this much hatred in his eyes, at least not directed at Kagome. But the monk stayed quiet. Until all the pieces were in place, he would not voice his doubts. It may not be safe to.

Inuysaha stalked up his wife, grabbing her roughly by her good arm. "Kagome, its time to go home." He muttered. Was that really all he had to say? The taijiya looked up at Inuyasha curiously, also sensing the change. She looked into the burning building then back to the hanyou. "Inuyasha there is a child in there! You have to save him. He is Kagome's friend." Sango explained.

Inuyasha sneered, "He deserves to burn Sango. He'd been deceiving you all. I took care of him though."

"That's a lie, Chen has done nothing wrong!" Kagome yelled, fighting for control of her arm against Inuyasha.

"And what do you know wench, that brat has been possessing you the entire time! He's a manipulative youkai that is tricking you to believe he is your son!" Inuyasha argued, staying true to his story.

"What are you talking about? He saved me from…!" Before Kagome could finish her statement the storage house had completely caved in. Her eyes widened as there was still no sign from Chen. "Damn it Inuyasha, you killed him! How could you kill him, he was an innocent kid!" She cried.

Inuyasha's ears flattened against his head, and he continued to yank the girl to follow him. "Shut up wench, you fucking talk to much." He muttered. He turned to Miroku and Sango. "Thanks for helping Miroku, I'll be sure to help fix up this side of the village. Just… let me see if I can get her to rest some and clear her head ok?" Inuyasha spoke softly.

Miroku sighed and nodded, "Yes that would be best, if you talk her through what really happened the effects might…"

The rubble of the building began to creak and move, drawing everyone's attention. Slowly, Chen emerged from the ashes, large wings sprouting from his back. A pair of small horns grew on the boy's forehead and his tan skin was patterned off like scales. With whatever strength he had left, the boy flew forward and snatched the miko up before taking off through the air. He was no elemental youkai. Kagome knew that now. She clung to him and watched as the village quickly faded into the distance. They weren't quite flying however, more like gliding. Chen had to land along the branches of tree tops and launch them into the air again, and then the would glide more until they lost momentum, and he would repeat the cycle of jumping and gliding until they were miles away from the village.

They collapsed in a clearing north of the village. Chen's new features disappeared quickly as the exhausted boy lay on his stomach in the grass, breathing heavily. Kagome as impressed. Chen traveled faster than Inuyasha or Kirara would have been able to keep up with. Perhaps it was just out of urgency that brought out the extra power. But it took a toll on the boy. He could not fly while holding someone of Kagome's size or larger, and he was already injured. But he had to get her away. Inuyasha would kill her. They would be safe at that distance for a day or so, depending on if Inuyasha would chase them down right away or not. The hanyou could probably cover the distance in a night, and be on them by mid day. As he calculated it out, Chen tried to push himself to get up.

"No, Chen, lay down." Kagome pushed him back down gently; at this point even she could over power him. She brushed his fire red hair from his neck so she could inspect the damage Inuyasha had done. The blood was starting the pool underneath the boy, so she took the sling she used for her arm to bandage his neck. She had no idea what to do now. She didn't know which way to go. She had no weapons and an injured child. Luckily they still had daylight but that was fleeting.

"Chen, just what exactly are you? Well that isn't a productive question…I guess" She sighed softly, combing her fingers through his hair for comfort as she tried to formulate a plan. Chen grunted softly, and traced out Chinese characters in the dirt weakly. She could read them. He wrote 'Dragon'

* * *

A/N: ok, so chapter two. i hope this is an enjoyable read. i'm trying to keep it suspenseful so it remains entertaining. please feel free to tell me how i'm doing. and i apologize for any misspellings or misused terms. enjoy.


	3. the lesser of two evils

An hour had passed by like an eternity. Kagome had stood up, walked to the left, walked back to the right, sat back down. Every few minutes or so she repeated the cycle, hoping she would find some sort of solution she had looked over. But there really was only one thing she could do. Kagome sighed and looked down at Chen. He had succumbed to exhaustion a while back while as she had tried to settle her shock over discovering what he truly was. The last time she had faced a dragon youkai was the daiyoukai Ryukotsusei, the one responsible for fatally injuring Inuyasha's father. The race was extremely rare, so Chen…he must be either extremely lost or something big was happening. The miko shook her head, now wasn't the time to contemplate that. Bending down the petite miko with only the use of one of her arms hoisted the boy onto her back. She continued north, carrying Chen on her back. She was much stronger than most people gave her credit for, but especially so when she had someone to protect. Inuyasha wasn't the only threat at this point. She knew they were far beyond the territory that Inuyasha patrolled and protected with Miroku and the boys. Youkai of all shapes and sizes would be on them with the scent of injured prey luring them. Now would have been a wonderful time for Shippo or even Kohaku to stumble upon them. But the wandering boys were far to the south, adventuring and training.

Chen shifted and groaned, he was waking up. "Kagome.." He murmured, his eyes opening slowly. He tried to turn his head to look around but his neck wouldn't allow it. As he became fully conscious the pain shot through his neck and shoulders. "..i-it..it hur-hurts…" He stuttered as he cried, clinging tightly to the miko. Kagome's heart broke for the boy. Even if he was her savoir he was only a boy. She couldn't stop walking to comfort him as she would have liked, it would be harder to keep going if they stopped.

"I know sweetie, I'm sorry. I'm sorry you have to be in such pain because of me." She murmured, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. But she fought them. She needed to start fighting. "It's because I wasn't strong enough so save myself, I allowed myself to be carried along by a child. I'm sorry Chen, I promise I will be better to you…for however long you decide to stay by me."

The boy had no words, to overcome by pain and because he knew not how to say what he wished, he continued to cry against her back until, once again, he fell asleep. Hours past and the miko's legs began to tire as the sun started to descend in the sky. She could sense the malicious intent from those that stalked them in the dense forest, and she flared her miko no chi. It would only ward them off for a short while. She couldn't risk purifying Chen attempting something big. The boy already stirred from the small burst. "We have to find somewhere safe soon. Oh please let us find a village or something." She prayed. But it was no use. She doubted they had traveled that far of a distance from where they started. As the last shines of daylight faded in the sky, the miko's legs gave out sending her and Chen to the ground.

After a moment of feeling pathetic Kagome sat up, and scooted against the base of one of the many trees. She pulled Chen into her lap, wrapping her arms around him to comfort both him and herself. She could only pray that they would make it through the night and that Chen would be okay. The woman pulled at the dirty bandages on the child's neck, peaking to see how his wounds were fairing. The bleeding had stopped the wounds were still slightly open. She could tell they were infected from not being cleaned properly. There might have been a chance that Chen could have healed himself, but he was so exhausted perhaps he body couldn't handle it. "I have a hard time remembering that you're only a boy. You seem so strong…so assured." Kagome spoke thoughtfully. Chen really was an enigma. They barely knew each other and could only communicate so little yet Chen defended her so fiercely. Maybe he was still mistaken? She tried to explain that she wasn't his mother, did he not believe her? It was the only reason that gave logic to his actions. Maybe dragon youkai were the possessive type? All she had were 'maybe' and 'perhaps' and that frustrated her.

A soft yawn drew her from her thoughts. She looked down as Chen's eyes opened, and he looked up at her. A soft smile graced the woman's features. She'd learned to see the warmth in those dark pools. He looked adorable with his mussed hair and eyes puffy from his deep slumber. "Did you have a good sleep?"

When Chen didn't answer but instead raised his brow and snort, she giggled. "Sleep…was nice?" She asked again, rephrasing her sentence with words she was sure he'd recognize. This time she received a sleepy nod. "This hurts?" She asked, touching his neck lightly so he would know what she was referring to. The boy flinched at the touch and nodded again. "Yes, hurts." He hissed, burying his face in her neck to hide his pained face.

Kagome sighed and ran her fingers through his hair. "Chen, promise ok?" She spoke softly. When Chen nudged her to show he was listening she continued. "Never fight Inuyasha."

At that, the dragon youkai pulled back from her so he could look her in her eyes. "No promise. I fight the filth."

"Chen!" Kagome shook her finger at him. "Do not call people filth. It is rude. And yes promise. Do not fight Inuyasha."

Chen scrunched up his nose. "I-…" His eyes widened, "Move!" Chen grabbed Kagome's hand and before she could register what was happening, the boy's pulled her out of the way of their attacker. A large crow youkai ripped through the trees, stretching its talons open in its attempt to snatch them. Chen had saved them from the first attempt. The bird soared high in the sky and readied to dive again. Kagome and Chen rose to their feet quickly and ran, hoping to find safety in the dense cluster of trees. But it seemed this crow as not only larger than the average of its kind but stronger. Its talon's ripped trees the trees apart as it chased them down and if things could not get any worse Kagome could see the edge of the forest. She pulled Chen to stop but the boy was stronger and continued to drag her forward.

"Chen wait! Stop!" She called, but her plea fell on deaf ears as the boy's only thought was to keep moving and dodging the frightening bird. He did not realize he was leading them into an extreme disadvantage. As the entered the clearing, there was no sign of the crow. Chen looked around frantically for it, ignoring the pain in his neck. He felt conflicted. His instincts told him to fight but logic told him to run to protect Kagome. His kind was a proud type much like Inu's and Ookami… running was weak. He had managed to stay alive this long, in this strange land. Most of the creatures that resided here were either the same or similar to the ones back in his homeland, but some were new to him like this one. The only things that reigned in the skies of his homeland were dragon kings. He cursed that he could not muster the strength to fly and put the over grown bird in its place. It wasn't even graceful enough to have the right to fly.

"Chen, we have to go back to the forest! It isn't safe in the clearing." Kagome grabbed his shoulders, forcing him to look at her. The boy blinked, snapping out of his thoughts. He gazed at the frantic woman with uncertainty. She was so fearful that it unnerved him. Did she not know of the great strength she possessed? He could sense it, he could sense it from the moment he stumbled upon her in the forest. Yet for all she stood before him shaking and terrified. Her friends could fight…could she not? Maybe it was just a human thing. Chen's gaze drifted to behind her as he spotted the bird coming towards them again. Gently but firmly, Chen pushed her aside. He would have enough strength for the both of them. Her weakness only provoked him to be stronger. It was more of an instinct thing for him, and he was always taught to follow his spirit. Kagome gazed at the boy, standing his ground against the bird, and suddenly realization dawned on her. She was doing it again. The once proud miko of the shikon no tama, one of the few who stood fast against the terrible hanyou Naraku and defeated him…was cowering at the sight of a lowly crow.

Kagome moved so she was standing side by side with Chen. "Do not try and fly your body is weak." She placed a hand on his shoulder. She was useless without a bow and a set of arrows, but she could direct Chen on how to fight the crow. "When it is close, breath your fire. Aim, and fire."

"Aim and fire." Chen repeated, and then smirked. The crow descended upon from, screeching loudly as it barred its talon's. As he was told, Chen waited till the bird was close and then let out a mighty stream of fire from his mouth. The bird dodged to the side, giving a little distance before diving again. Chen readied himself again and released another breath catching the bird's tail feathers and some of the forest trees. Distraught from the fire on its tail feathers the crow mistakenly took its eyes of Chen and did not ascend as quickly as it should have. Chen took this opportunity and set the bird a blaze. The boy panted a little and coughed from heaving out so much fire. The black air he exhaled Kagome could only assume was smoke. The bird screeched into the night's air, its final cries echoing off into the distance.

As Chen caught his breath, Kagome looked towards the forest. She had to squint to see, but she could see the trees moving. She cocked her head to the side and strained herself to see into the distance, but she could not make out what was happening. It wasn't until she felt Chen grasp her hand softly she knew he knew what was happening. HE didn't know how to warn her, he just tugged her hand tiredly so they could start moving again. But it wouldn't be any good. They were moving into to fast and but this point Kagome should have been able to hear them. And she did. A large flock of crows, on their was to avenge their fallen member. It had probably been their leader given the size. Kagome never knew crow youkai to gather in such large flocks until now but then again crow youkai were easy prey. This must have been an area where they were free of many predators so they were able to breed.

This time it was Kagome's turn to lead. She grasped Chen's hand tightly, "Hold on a little longer Chen. We will make it through this. Trust me." With that she pulled the boy along as they ran back into the forest. They wouldn't be able to hide from such a large number in the open. They didn't have much time. Kagome and Chen forted themselves up in the densest part of the forest they could find and armed themselves with thick tree branches. The air was quiet as the large flock settled into the branches above them, peering down at the hatefully with their bright yellow eyes. Time seemed to freeze for a moment, as the opposing sides stared at one another. Then, one went in. Then another, and another and soon the flock swarmed them.

Kagome swung at the them the best she could but the number was too many. The first couple had been like batting practice at the ball park but now they ripped at her skin with their talons, punctured straight through her with their beaks. If she survived this night, their deafening screech would haunt her for the rest of her life. Chen wasn't fairing much better. They found the weak spot around his neck that was still recovering from his fight with Inuyasha. The boy crumpled to the floor with his arms around his head trying to protect his neck. His only hope was to start a fire. Taking a few deep breaths, Chen drew all the heat from his body but no fire came out. However the temperature of the area suddenly sky rocketed. Like a furnace of sorts, Chen's body emitted an unbearable heat that sent the grows away from himself and Kagome, giving them a moment's peace.

The miko panted heavily under the pressure of the intense heat. She almost ran away from Chen herself, but she saw it was the only thing keeping the crows away. The woman sunk to her knees holding her head as all the moisture in her body seemed to be sucked dry making her dehydrated. If the crows didn't kill her this heat would. As the sweat tumbled down her face, she collapsed onto the grass; Chen still followed his body cooling he could not longer stand to lose anymore of his inner heat. The two looked at each other, and despite Chen's inhuman temperature the woman moved closer to him. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his forehead. If this was to be the end of them, at least he should feel loved. She hummed softly, soothing him with a lullaby from her childhood. Chen, as much as he tried to fight it, could not bare it any longer. He allowed his eyes to close. He tried to cry but couldn't, all the heat just sucked up the moisture from his eyes. Once more, it seemed like time stood still for them. Kagome kissed his forehead, shushing him softly, telling him to just rest for now.

"It disappoints this Sesshoumaru, that the miko would willed herself to fight alongside myself as allies chooses to die so easily."

Kagome's eyes snapped opened, easily recognizing that mockingly nonchalant voice. How dull had her senses become, to not have noticed the Inu no Taisho so close to them. She didn't want to give herself false hope but… there was no way he would turn their back on them would he? Sesshomaru stepped out of the shadows in all his undisputed glory. He did not even spare a glance to the birds as he strode across to the child and miko. "Miko, where is my filthy brother?" He asked.

Kagome chuckled bitterly. Why were all dogs the same? Was he really taking this situation so lightly? She and Chen were right in the middle of dying. When the miko did not speak Sesshomaru had to use all his mental training to not crush the girl under his foot. They had come to a rather fair agreement over the last few years and Sesshomaru was a man of his word by any means necessary. What other place was he to drop of his ward to learn the ways of her kind? Lately however Rin had been making it more and more of a point to stay within the west's main territory with him. "Miko, This Sesshomaru does not believe patience's is a virtue. If you find your life of some value I suggest you answer this Sesshomaru's inquiry."

The crow's screeched loudly, but none moved to attack. Even foolish birds had some sense. Kagome's turned her gaze up at the tall man that stood over her and Chen. He looked beautiful in the moonlight. His pale skin accented his perfect silver hair that gleamed and waved gently as a small gust of wind came through. Piercing cold, yet mesmerizing eyes bored into her cloudy gray ones, shooting a wave of fear down her spine. She looked away, and used her body to cover Chen protectively as if the man would attack him as Inuyasha had.

"We will die anyway."

"You will not."

"Are you implyin…"

"Are you daft or mad to question this Sesshomaru? Miko I am running out of patients. Answer my question,"

* * *

A/N: ok i may not be updating this fast for very long, but i hope everyone will stay tuned in. let me know what you think. i decided to make Chen a little more realistic. he is after all a child, so while he is strong for Kagome's sake it takes his toll on him because he is young. Also I he isn't some all knowing kid either, he just follows his instincts. well anyway, everything about Chen will be explained as time goes on. till next time.


	4. a fate not chosen

Kagome bit her lips softly and lowered her gaze. "Inuyasha is in the village. He had been missing for a short while but he has returned." Sesshomaru was far more fearsome than any youkai inhabiting the area. But he was also noble, Kagome knew that. The daiyoukai turned away from the woman, focusing his attention on the hesitant flock. With a flick of his wrist he released his dokkasou whip, cutting through a line of crows perched to the side of him. It only took the small warning to send the rest of flock scattering, screeching in terror as they took off. Once the birds were Kagome, sat up holding on to Chen to keep him from trying anything funny. The dragon youkai hissed at the daiyoukai, recognizing the kinship between Sesshomaru and Inuyasha through scent. The similarity was slight, but recognizable.

"Chen, hush, do not fight him." Kagome warned, but she was but she was barely able to control the boy. She was only able to over power him because of his injuries. Sesshomaru's gaze lowered to the child with mild interest. At least until he noticed the boy's eyes. A bone chilling smirk graced the graceful daiyoukai's features. The miko never ceased to amazing him even whilst pathetically cowering. She had pulled the tetsaiga from his father's tomb, dared to fire her arrows at him, and stood upon the front lines of battle against the pathetic spider Naraku. Now the woman stumbled upon the most interesting of treasures he'd seen in centuries.

"Miko silence the child and prepare to return to your village. I seek my half brother." He spoke, implying he would return her safely to his hanyou brother.

Kagome shook her head. She placed her hand on Chen's head, pleading for him to calm down. The boy's hissing subsided but he still glared up at the daiyoukai. The miko then gazed up at their savior and smiled sadly. "Thank you Sesshomaru, but I can not accompany you to the village. I do not wish to return."

At this the daiyoukai raised his brow, "Explain."

Kagome quickly gazed away. She hadn't even told her closest friends of her nightmare of a life with Inuyasha, so she definitely did not want to discuss it with his older half brother that she was not even remotely close to. "I just…do not have a desire to return."

"Are you not the hanyou's mate?" It sounded more like a statement then a question. Sesshomaru took a moment to take in the miko's scent before growling softly. His fool of a brother also never ceased to amaze him. "I see so he wished to take you on human terms, the fool." While Sesshomaru turned his nose away from the human breed he did not deny worth when he laid eyes on it. If it were not for the female his foolish brother would be dead. He could not even extract his revenge on Naraku without this wench. The miko would have been a great asset as a mate, with her abilities his pups would have been formidable even despite their mixed blood. But he did not bond her to him. Inuyasha was just incapable to the very end. "However, are you not his wife? Why should you not return to his side?"

He had no reason to doubt her faithfulness; he could scent no other male on her with the exception of the boy, whom he was curious about but would inquire of him later.

"I just can not Sesshomaru." Kagome spoke, her voice rising with the anxiousness she felt welling in her stomach.

The daiyoukai did not appreciate the tone. In one fluid motion he unsheathed bakusaiga, holding it to the female's neck. "Woman do not test this Sesshomaru's patients. You will honor this Sesshomaru's status and tittle properly as both Inu no Taisho of the West and as your older brother."

He had not attended Inuyasha and Kagome's wedding, he had not given his blessing for it to commence and so to him the marriage didn't really exist, nor would any youkai acknowledge it. However because of the power the girl possessed…he would claim her. He was older brother of the shikon no miko and the hanyou son of the Great Inu no Taisho, both of which were now held in high regard amongst the youkai nobles for the destruction of Naraku. They held great titles even if the fools did not know it, titles which looked very nice under Sesshomaru's belt of power.

Chen narrowed his eyes at the new comer. The red haired boy grabbed the sword to push it away from Kagome, but he could not budge it. He was trying to hard but the sword did not falter even a centimeter. He gasped in surprise when the sword suddenly released a burst of power, burning his hand. He hissed, and drew his hand to his chest. Sesshomaru then moved the sword from Kagome, instead holding it to Chen's neck.

"Sesshomaru…-sama. Please..please don't hurt him. He's been through enough today!" She begged. She had no choice. "Inuyasha and I we, we aren't working out." Sesshomaru pressed bakusaiga into Chen's cheek, just enough to draw blood. He wanted her to get to the point. Kagome's eyes widened, and she spoke quickly. "Staying with him will kill me. Ever since I failed to give birth to our child he has hated me. Day in and day out the abuse gets worse and worse. He only becomes more violent towards me. I can't live with him any longer, I've become weak and so pathetic I can't even stand myself. I just want to be free and happy again." She cried, the tears forcing their way out. She shook violently and held Chen tightly, "Please Sesshomaru don't hurt him, he is all I have now."

Sesshomaru lowered his sword and placed it back into its sheath. He seemed unmoved by the display, but he was concerned for several reasons now. "Miko, the hanyou had impregnated you without going through the mating process?"

Kagome wiped her eyes and nodded her head slowly. "I'm not to sure what the difference is between mating and marriage, but yes he never mentioned anything about a process. I became pregnant not to long after we were wed. But the child died in the womb, my miko no chi had tried to purify it because of his youkai blood and it ended up killing it. It all happened so fast, as I was giving birth…"

"Hn." Seemingly unmoved by the story Sesshomaru turned his back to her. "Come miko you will reside with this Sesshomaru's pack for the time being." He did not wait for her and began walking in the direction he had left Rin, the toad, and Ah Un. Kagome slowly released Chen, and wiped the blood from his cheek. She didn't try to explain to him what was happening.

With a bit of struggle she managed to pull herself up to stand. She held Chen by his arm and helped him up after. She had no strength to carry him nor support him. The two stumbled behind the daiyoukai, walking in silence, trusting the daiyoukai, following him blindly into the night.

Without realizing it they reached the camp quickly. It was the Kagome realized that all that commotion had been to close to the camp and more specifically Rin for Sesshomaru's comfort. That is why the daiyoukai stumbled upon them. It seemed faith and luck did look upon her every once an a while. She lead Chen close to the fire, and the boy collapsed there before she could say or do anything else. He couldn't even glare at the daiyoukai anymore, that's how tired he was. It didn't seem like Kagome was under any stress either, or at least no more stress than the usual amount, so he had no problem falling asleep. Kagome sighed and shook her head, slowly lowering herself onto the ground. She was concerned because she had nothing to disinfect their wounds with or even wrap them, but she supposed she'd just have to put it out of her mind for now. She glanced around the camp. Rin was sleeping, curled up next to Ah Un on a plush futon like pillow, Jaken also slept propped up against the dragon's hide. Ah Un however stirred from his sleep, the two heads staring intently at the dragon boy.

"Miko, this Sesshomaru is curious as to how you stumbled upon that boy?"

"Oh? You mean Chen?"

"Hn."

"Oh, well I found him, or perhaps rather he found me. Regardless, he has not chosen to leave me so I have taken him in." Kagome looked down at the sleeping boy. "You know of his origins Sesshomaru-sama?"

"Not specifically, however this Sesshomaru is aware of the existence of his kind. I have visited the mainland before and have met with his kind. They are an extremely rare breed of youkai. It troubles this Sesshomaru that one has stumbled into these lands." The daiyoukai stared into the fire for a moment mulling over his thoughts. "Tell me, my foolish half-brother would not have let you go freely, how did you manage to escape him?" Sesshomaru seemed to be asking all the questions with answers she wanted to avoid thinking about.

"Well, it was thanks to Chen. The morning after I found him we had been eating breakfast when Inuyasha found me. He was going to take me back to the village but he and Chen fought. Chen burned him terribly with fire he expelled from his mouth. The skin of Inuyasha's arm was completely burned off." She explained, just the thought made her shiver. It had looked horrific. Sesshomaru smirked, amused that his brother couldn't even handle a child, even after defeating the dragon that caused their father's death. "A dragon's fire is not to be taken likely, the fool is lucky his arm was not incinerated. The boy is a child but even so a dragon's fire can continue to burn for hours to even weeks and even once the flames are put out the skin will continue to burn as if the flames were not extinguished."

Kagome nodded. That must have been why Inuyasha had taken so long to return. He must have had trouble putting the fire out. "What about water? Wouldn't jumping into a river or lake help."

"No, it takes rather strong magic to put out a dragon's fire otherwise one must wait for it to die on its own." Sesshomaru closed his eyes slowly as he leaned against the tree behind him. "You are an extremely perplexing woman. You seem to attract very valuable rarities and immeasurable amounts of trouble. This Sesshomaru does not know if you are lucky or cursed."

Kagome chuckled weakly; she wasn't to sure about that either. "Well, I would like some good news…how would I be lucky?"

"Dragons are perhaps the only creatures that can have a sense of loyalty that runs as deeply as the Inu's."

"Really? So I guess that is why AhUn is by your side?"

"This Sesshomaru hatched AhUn from its egg." He spoke. The statement explained the basis of their relationship simply enough. "If the boy has chosen to stay by your side, he will until your feeble life has ended. You are lucky, while loyalty is unquestionable; gaining that loyalty is extremely difficult in most scenarios."

"How come?"

"Because dragons are rare, and they are rare because they are hunted for power. A single fang can posses an immense amount of power, and depending on how it is harvested and forged it can create a powerful weapon with unpredictable prowess. Gaining favor from a dragon is a high honor. There are not many left in these lands…"

Kagome nodded her head at the new information. It was a bit much to take in and she still had more questions. It also brought more worries. "He was lost in the forest, and he ended up mistaking me for his mother. I can not communicate well with him because he does not speak our language but I was able to correct him. He probably just stays with me for safety..which is fine I suppose, but he will leave when he finds the means to take care of himself or maybe he might even find his parents."

"Foolish woman. Youkai do not mistake strangers as kin. For him to select another must mean his parents are dead. You have corrected nothing. He stays with you because he has sensed that you have the ability to raise him. He has claimed you as his new mother. When a youkai child is abandoned by its parents its automatic instinct is to find a new shelter, new protection, a new care giver. It is a process of sensing and logic. You hold power miko, he knows it. He knows you can protect him. He can feel that you are one with a kind and giving heart, you can take care of him and accept him. And since he is by your side it means you have already accepted him."

"What? No, I…I never agreed, he didn't even ask!"

"Miko this Sesshomaru will not argue with your ignorance. Rest now as we begin travel early tomorrow morning."

When Kagome opened her mouth to protest, his gaze hardened. Her mouth shut instantly, swallowing her question till morning. She sighed and laid down by Chen, getting as comfortable as she could on the hard ground. Nonetheless falling asleep was easy, completely worn out the woman slipped into a more or less peaceful slumber.

When morning came Kagome woke up someone shaking her softly. Opening her eyes she woke up face to face with a toothy grin.

"Good morning Kagome-san!" Rin greeted cheerfully. "Its time to get up!" The girl had done a lot of growing up in the last five years, however she remained as cheery and innocent as ever under Sesshomaru's the careful and protective watch. The twelve year old, brushed her hair back behind her ear as she stood up. "Sesshomaru-sama caught some fish and Rin has cooked it up."

After blinking a few times, everything about her current situation had finally sunk in. Smiling weakly she sat up and stretched, as soft yawn escaping her lips. "Morning Rin-chan, it's been a while." She patted the girl's hair affectionately before rising to her feet. She glanced around the clearing and had spotted Chen stretching a little by AhUn. He had flowers braided into his hair which was odd but she was more concerned about his wounds that hadn't been treated, he shouldn't have been moving around so casually. She on the other hand felt stiff and sore. The girl took her hand and led her to her breakfast. "It has been a while Kagome-san, Rin has missed you so much, but Rin wanted to spend more time with Sesshomaru-sama while he was not to busy."

Kagome chuckled and nodded her head, "I understand Rin-chan, I don't mind at all, I get to see you now after all." It was hard not to be cheery around the light hearted girl, "Um, have you gotten a chance to meet Chen yet?" She asked, motioning to the youkai boy. Rin nodded her head enthusiastically.

"Yes! He is very nice. He let Rin braid flowers into his hair, and we already ate our breakfast together." Well that explained the flowers, and it actually made Kagome laugh. It wasn't surprising Chen bent to the girl's will; he had done the same with Sango's twins. He was surprisingly warm hearted. The two girls sat down near AhUn and Chen. With Rin's encouragement, Kagome rested against AhUn as she sat. It was her first time being so close to the dragon; she remembered only having seen him from a distance a few times. AhUn, paid little attention to her, to use to being used as a cushion these days; however, what they were focused on however was Chen. It was their first time since Ryukotsusei that they had come across another of their breed. Although Chen was different from them. Like the inu's and kitsune's or any other breed of youkai, there were common lines and then there were the daiyoukai. The daiyoukai were those with the purest of blood lines, they were the strongest; they were usually royals or born into one of the other levels of nobility. Chen was a daiyoukai. AhUn was sure his master could sense it, the pureness of his blood line, and his inner strength of dragon fire. The two headed dragon had over heard the conversation with the miko last night, and wondered why his master had not informed the miko more on what she was dealing with now. He pitied the female for what fate had put her through so far, but the two headed dragon felt proud to say that her troubles would disappear before her eyes because of the strength of this boy, of dragons. He would surely help open up the door for her. Yes, even the lowly two headed dragon could sense what swelled beneath the surface of the miko. He had watched her from afar during the war with Naraku. When she helped destroy him she had been so close to breaking the walls around her trapped power and becoming stronger than the his master's hanyou brother, but alas that hanyou ended up breaking her to the point where she is now weaker than she had been when the dragon had first laid eyes on her.

"Chen, you don't feel sore do you? You should sit and rest some more before we get moving."

The boy cocked his head at her then went back to his stretching and Kagome could only sigh as she remembered he could not understand. "Chen," she tried again and this time she patted the ground next to her. "Sit."

Chen nodded and sat down by the miko with his legs crossed. He stared out into the field before them, taking his surroundings for the first time since waking up. He hadn't traveled this far past the village as yet since he had been traveling from the south. And he was glad to not have gone alone, the night before had been deadly. However now that he was at full energy his body already healed most of the damage from last night. Kagome had noticed that. The miko ran her hands along Chen's sun kissed skin in amazement. She knew fully grown youkai healed quickly but even those as young as Chen could as well? The boy's gaze turned to her as she touched him and almost instantly he reached his hand out and brushed her cheek.

It happens within the first few moments of meeting.

Kagome smiled softly, "I guess I did agree didn't I?" But she still believed that such a decision as adopting a new parent, so to speak, was a big deal. There was no way the decisions could be made on such a whim. No, she would wait until she and Chen knew each other better, until they could have proper talks and share their feelings before asking if he really wanted to stay with her. As Kagome ate, Rin chatted with her happily. The young girl had plenty to tell and ask her about. She didn't get time to spend with other females and since Kagome explained Chen did not know Japanese the girl felt safe to talk about everything.

"Oh Rin, you really have discovered a lot all by yourself." Kagome giggled softly, patting the girl's hair affectionately. Chen watched the display as the girls went back and worth with a tad bit of jealousy. Kagome hugged the girl and stroked her fingers through her hair. They laughed together and Rin even got to hold her hand at one point. They were so close. He was glad when Sesshomaru, though he still didn't trust him, came and spoiled their fun.

"We will set out now, ready yourselves." Sesshomaru spoke passively as he walked by the little group to scout ahead of them. As the two human girls stood up, Rin took Kagome's hand again and lead the woman off after her dear Sesshomaru-sama. "Come on Kagome-san, we wouldn't want to get left behind!" She cheered gleefully while Chen huffed and followed behind them with AhUn.

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A/N: ok so i decided to shed some light on a few things in this chapter but don't think all the mysterious have been solved yet. thank you for those that have reviewed, favorited, and followed this story. it really motivates me and its good to know people enjoy this story. r&r please


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